Method and apparatus for communicating with radio telephones

• US 5,090,050 A
• Filed: 04/30/1991
• Issued: 02/18/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/1989
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Contel Cellular, Inc. (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Contel Cellular, Inc. (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Heffernan, Stuart D.
• Primary Examiner(s): NOT, DEFINED
• Assistant Examiner(s): Shehata, M.
• Application Number:
  US07/693,054
• Time in Patent Office: 294 Days
• Field of Search: 379/57, 379/58, 379/59, 379/61, 379/60
• US Class Current: 455/432.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/06 Registration at serving network Location Register, VLR or user mobility server

Abstract

A radio telephone communication system is provided for communicating with radio telephones associated with a radio telephone system when the radio telephones are operating in a remote geographical area served by another radio telephone system. The radio telephone user transmits by telephone a signal which causes an activation signal to be entered into the data base of a computer associated with the home system. This activation signal identifies the radio telephone and the remote radio telephone system covering the area in which the radio telephone will be located temporarily. Upon receipt of a telephone call for the radio telephone, the data base is searched for the activation signal, and the call is directed to the remote system through a land line telephone connection to the roamer access port of the remote system. The telephone call then is completed through radio communication between the remote system and the radio telephone.

Claims

1. A method of completing telephone calls to radio telephones, comprising the steps of:

entering into a data base of a computer associated with a first radio telephone system an activation signal identifying the radio telephone and identifying a second radio telephone system having a roamer access telephone number, each of said radio telephone systems comprising one or more MTSO'"'"'s and a plurality of fixed transmitters in radio telephone communication with a plurality of radio telephones through said transmitters and providing radio telephone communication service to radio telephones within different geographic areas;

searching said data base for said activation signal upon the receipt of a telephone call for said radio telephone;

switching said telephone call to said second radio telephone system through a telephone connection to the roamer access telephone number of said second radio telephone system; and

completing said telephone call to said radio telephone through radio communication between said second radio telephone system and said radio telephone.

2. A method according to claim 1, comprising the further step of paging said radio telephone for a response prior to searching said data base.

3. A method according to claim 1, comprising the further step of receiving a coded signal at said first radio telephone system from a user of said radio telephone through telephone communication and entering said activation signal in said data base in response to said receipt.

4. A method according to claim 3, wherein said telephone communication is effected through DTMF telephone signals.

5. A method according to claim 2, wherein said telephone communication is transmitted through said second radio telephone system.

6. A method according to claim 1, comprising the further step of cancelling said activation signal upon receiving at said first radio telephone system a coded signal from a user of said radio telephone through telephone communication.

7. A method according to claim 6, wherein said telephone communication is effected through DTMF telephone signals.

8. A method according to claim 6, wherein said telephone communication is transmitted through said second radio telephone system.

9. A method according to claim 1, wherein said telephone connection to said roamer access telephone number of said second telephone system is a land line telephone connection.

10. A method according to claim 1, comprising the further steps of entering into said data base a second activation signal identifying a second radio telephone associated with said second radio telephone system;

searching said data base for said second activation signal upon the receipt of a telephone call for said second radio telephone;

switching said telephone call for said second radio telephone to said first radio telephone system through a telephone connection to a roamer access telephone number of said first radio telephone system; and

completing said telephone call for said second radio telephone to said second radio telephone through radio communication between said first radio telephone system and said second radio telephone.

11. A method according to claim 1, comprising the further step of receiving at said first radio telephone system a signal registering the presence of said radio telephone within the geographic area covered by said second radio telephone system and entering said activation signal in said data base in response to said receipt.

12. A method according to claim 11, comprising the further step of receiving at said first radio telephone system a signal registering the departure of said radio telephone from the geographic are covered by said second radio telephone system and cancelling said activation signal in response to said receipt.

13. A method according to claim 1, wherein said switching includes transmitting the roamer access telephone number using DTMF signals and said completing includes transmitting the telephone number for said radio telephone using DTMF signals.

14. An apparatus for completing telephone calls to radio telephones, comprising:

a computer associated with a first radio telephone system to which a radio telephone is associated;

means for entering into the data base of said computer an activation signal identifying the radio telephone and a second radio telephone system having a roamer access telephone number, each of said radio telephone systems comprising one or more MTSO'"'"'s and a plurality of fixed transmitters in radio telephone communication with a plurality of radio telephones through said transmitters and providing radio telephone communication service to radio telephones within different geographic areas;

means for searching said data base for said activation signal upon the receipt of a telephone call for said radio telephone;

means for switching said telephone call to said second radio telephone system through a telephone connection to the roamer access telephone number of said second radio telephone system; and

means for completing said telephone call to said radio telephone through radio communication between said second radio telephone system and said radio telephone.

15. An apparatus according to claim 14, further comprising means for paging said radio telephone for a response prior to searching said data base.

16. An apparatus according to claim 14, further comprising means for receiving a coded signal at said first radio telephone system from a user of said radio telephone through telephone communication and for entering said activation signal in said data base in response to said receipt.

17. An apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said means for receiving includes means for receiving said telephone communication through DTMF telephone signals.

18. An apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said means for receiving includes means for receiving said telephone communication transmitted through said second radio telephone system.

19. An apparatus according to claim 14, further comprising means for receiving a coded signal at said first radio telephone system from a user of said radio telephone through telephone communication and for cancelling said activation signal in said data base in response to said receipt.

20. An apparatus according to claim 19, wherein said means for receiving includes means for receiving said telephone communication through DTMF telephone signals.

21. An apparatus according to claim 19, wherein said means for receiving includes means for receiving said telephone communication transmitted through said second radio telephone system.

22. An apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said telephone connection to said roamer access telephone number of said second telephone system is a land line telephone connection.

23. An apparatus according to claim 14, further comprising means for entering into said data base a second activation signal identifying a second radio telephone associated with said second radio telephone system;

means for searching said data base for said second activation signal upon the receipt of a telephone call for said second radio telephone;

means for switching said telephone said second radio telephone to said first radio telephone system through a telephone connection to a roamer access telephone number of said first radio telephone system; and

means for completing said telephone call for said second radio telephone to said second radio telephone through radio communication between said first radio telephone system and said second radio telephone.

24. An apparatus according to claim 14, further comprising means for receiving at said first radio telephone system a signal registering the presence of said radio telephone within the geographic area covered by said second radio telephone system and for entering said activation signal in said data base in response to said receipt.

25. An apparatus according to claim 24, further comprising means for receiving at said first radio telephone system a signal registering the departure of said radio telephone from the geographic area covered by said second radio telephone system and for cancelling said activation signal in response to said receipt.

26. An apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said means for switching includes means for transmitting the roamer access telephone number using DTMF signals and said means for completing includes means for transmitting the telephone number for said radio telephone using DTMF signals.

27. An apparatus for completing telephone calls to radio telephones, comprising:

a first radio telephone system for receiving telephone calls for radio telephones associated with said system and for completing said calls by radio communication with said radio telephones;

means for receiving through telephone communication from a user of one of said radio telephones a coded signal for said radio telephones;

means for directing, after receipt of said coded signal, telephone calls for said radio telephone to a telephone switch associated with said first radio telephone system;

computer means associated with said telephone switch for identifying, from said coded signal, said radio telephone and for identifying a second radio telephone system having a roamer access telephone number to which said directed telephone calls should be switched, said first and second radio telephone systems each comprising one or more MTSO'"'"'s and a plurality of fixed transmitters in radio telephone communication with a plurality of radio telephones through said transmitters and providing radio telephone communication service to radio telephones within different geographic areas;

means for making a telephone connection between said switch and the roamer access telephone number for said second radio telephone system; and

means for completing said directed telephone calls through said telephone connection and said second radio telephone system using radio communication between said radio telephone and said second radio telephone system.

28. An apparatus according to claim 27, further comprising means for paging said radio telephone for a response before directing said telephone calls to said telephone switch.

29. An apparatus according to claim 27, wherein said means for receiving includes means for receiving said telephone communication from said user transmitted through DTMF telephone signals.

30. An apparatus according to claim 27, wherein said means for receiving includes means for receiving said telephone communication from said user effected through said radio telephone.

31. An apparatus according to claim 27, wherein said means for receiving includes means for receiving said telephone communication from said user transmitted through said second radio telephone system.

32. An apparatus according to claim 27, wherein said means for receiving includes means for receiving through telephone communication from said user a second coded signal for cancelling said activation signal.

33. An apparatus according to claim 32, wherein said second coded signal is a DTMF signal.

34. An apparatus according to claim 32, further comprising means for receiving said second coded signal from said user effected through said radio telephone.

35. An apparatus according to claim 32, further comprising means for receiving said second coded signal transmitted through said second radio telephone system.

36. An apparatus according to claim 27, wherein said telephone connection between said switch and said roamer access telephone number for said second radio telephone system is a land line telephone connection.

37. An apparatus according to claim 27, wherein said means for making includes means for transmitting the roamer access telephone number using DTMF signals and said means for completing includes means for transmitting the telephone number for said radio telephone using DTMF signals.